Drop Pitman Arm Taboo
08-15-2012, 10:52 AM
#12
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Aurora, IL
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This is an interesting topic and I think it is worth mentioning that people who have hyd. Assisted steering, please mention that in the replies. I think it will also be a factor.
08-15-2012, 12:16 PM
#14
JK Freak
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Houston, TX
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I had the RC 3.5 kit, but recently moved to a different spring/shock(Still have dropped pitman arm.) I started noticing that early in the morning I would hear/feel a light pop in the steering wheel when exiting my garage. I got a bit concerned and ordered a steering shaft brace from Rock Solid Performance. Pop went away, and there is a lot less play in the steering wheel.
08-15-2012, 12:47 PM
#15
Also with whoever's system you go with and if you replace the stock pitman arm with a dropped pitman arm, keep your stock pitman arm just in case.
Last edited by Rancho; 08-15-2012 at 12:50 PM.
08-15-2012, 01:33 PM
#16
JK Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Erie, PA
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I can't speak specifically for a JK, but on my old TJ I had a 6" lift and a drop pitman arm with an adjustable front trac bar (no brackets.)
I had horrible bump steer on the road, but it performed fine off road. After about 3 years of dealing with it, I decided it was time to fix it, no cost spared. I did my research, and although I can't find the picture that conveyed it to me the best, I can pretty much explain it. In order to avoid bump steer on the road, you want your trac bar and drag link to be parallel. With my drop pitman arm and adjustable trac bar, I did not achieve this. It is my belief lift kits provide you with a drop pitman arm to keep costs down, because including a new drag link and possibly a tie rod to match (more adjustment, because I don't think the stock drag link can adjust enough once you hit a certain height (IE 6" on a TJ is too much...)) would make the cost significantly higher.
To fix my bumpsteer, I installed a new stock style pitman arm, a different aftermarket trac bar, a new drag link, and a new tie rod. All made by the same company and recommended to be ran together. My trac bar and drag link were parallel, and my bump steer was solved.
In my experience, the drop pitman arm can work just as well as new steering components, as long as you achieve the above.
I had horrible bump steer on the road, but it performed fine off road. After about 3 years of dealing with it, I decided it was time to fix it, no cost spared. I did my research, and although I can't find the picture that conveyed it to me the best, I can pretty much explain it. In order to avoid bump steer on the road, you want your trac bar and drag link to be parallel. With my drop pitman arm and adjustable trac bar, I did not achieve this. It is my belief lift kits provide you with a drop pitman arm to keep costs down, because including a new drag link and possibly a tie rod to match (more adjustment, because I don't think the stock drag link can adjust enough once you hit a certain height (IE 6" on a TJ is too much...)) would make the cost significantly higher.
To fix my bumpsteer, I installed a new stock style pitman arm, a different aftermarket trac bar, a new drag link, and a new tie rod. All made by the same company and recommended to be ran together. My trac bar and drag link were parallel, and my bump steer was solved.
In my experience, the drop pitman arm can work just as well as new steering components, as long as you achieve the above.
08-15-2012, 01:38 PM
#17
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
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I can't speak specifically for a JK, but on my old TJ I had a 6" lift and a drop pitman arm with an adjustable front trac bar (no brackets.)
I had horrible bump steer on the road, but it performed fine off road. After about 3 years of dealing with it, I decided it was time to fix it, no cost spared. I did my research, and although I can't find the picture that conveyed it to me the best, I can pretty much explain it. In order to avoid bump steer on the road, you want your trac bar and drag link to be parallel. With my drop pitman arm and adjustable trac bar, I did not achieve this. It is my belief lift kits provide you with a drop pitman arm to keep costs down, because including a new drag link and possibly a tie rod to match (more adjustment, because I don't think the stock drag link can adjust enough once you hit a certain height (IE 6" on a TJ is too much...)) would make the cost significantly higher.
To fix my bumpsteer, I installed a new stock style pitman arm, a different aftermarket trac bar, a new drag link, and a new tie rod. All made by the same company and recommended to be ran together. My trac bar and drag link were parallel, and my bump steer was solved.
In my experience, the drop pitman arm can work just as well as new steering components, as long as you achieve the above.
I had horrible bump steer on the road, but it performed fine off road. After about 3 years of dealing with it, I decided it was time to fix it, no cost spared. I did my research, and although I can't find the picture that conveyed it to me the best, I can pretty much explain it. In order to avoid bump steer on the road, you want your trac bar and drag link to be parallel. With my drop pitman arm and adjustable trac bar, I did not achieve this. It is my belief lift kits provide you with a drop pitman arm to keep costs down, because including a new drag link and possibly a tie rod to match (more adjustment, because I don't think the stock drag link can adjust enough once you hit a certain height (IE 6" on a TJ is too much...)) would make the cost significantly higher.
To fix my bumpsteer, I installed a new stock style pitman arm, a different aftermarket trac bar, a new drag link, and a new tie rod. All made by the same company and recommended to be ran together. My trac bar and drag link were parallel, and my bump steer was solved.
In my experience, the drop pitman arm can work just as well as new steering components, as long as you achieve the above.